1H Futwah - Islampur line

The 2'6" line between Futwah and Islampur was the last survivor of six lines that were operated in India by Martins Light Railways.

When I first visited Futwah in January 1979 the line was moribund due to severe flooding and given that all other Martins lines had already closed the future looked bleak.

I returned in March 1983 and found the railway operating throughout with two of the 0-6-2T locos, 1H and 4H in use. On my previous visit, 4H had been lying around the shed in bits and looking like it would never run again.

Bound for Islampur, loco no. 1H built by Manning Wardle of Leeds in 1919 was photographed somewhere between Futwah and Hilsa. The line survived for another four years before closure and has since been re-opened as a broad gauge railway.